Jet type rotary steam engine



March 13, 1962 A. L. SMlTH JET TYPE ROTARY STEAM ENGINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed July 5, 1957 gy 9 8 7 6 4 3 1 w w u 2. T 34 3 w 3 J. 3 a g 4 2- 2 2 flTTORNEY.

March 13, 1962 A. L. SMITH 3,024,611

JET TYPE ROTARY STEAM ENGINE Original Filed July 5, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 grfbur Leroy Jmilh MCWM March 13, 1962 A. 1.. SMITH JET TYPE ROTARY STEAM ENGINE Original Filed July 5, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States 25,719 7 Claims. (Cl. 60-408) My invention relates to a jet type rotary steam engine and this application is in the nature of a continuation of my prior application, Serial Number 670,274, filed July 5, 1957, now abandoned.

An object of my invention is to provide a rotary jet type engine in which fuel is used to produce steam and the steam is discharged from suitable jet producing means to impart rotation to the engine.

Another object is to provide an engine which uses as its motivating agent a liquid having a low boiling point so that it is converted into steam at a substantially lower temperature than water.

Another object is to provide an engine in which the motivating fluid is condensed within the engine and returned to a steam generating chamber so that there is no loss of motivating fluid.

Another object is to provide, in an engine of this type, simple and efficient valve means operated by centrifugal force and which serves as a speed governor and also controls the by-passing of steam generating fluid from a condensation chamber back to a steam generating chamber.

Another object is to provide a steam engine in which a jet system of propulsion is used in a novel and highly efiicient manner.

Further objects are to provide a steam engine having novel and highly efiicient steam generating means and novel and highly efficient steam condenser means.

Other objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings FIGURE 1 is a view in radial crosssection taken substantially on broken line 1-1 of FIG. 2, and showing approximately one-half of a jet engine constructed in accordance with my invention, parts being shown in elevation.

FIG. 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of the same taken substantially on broken line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

'FIG. 3 is a detached view in elevation, on a smaller scale than FIGS. 1 and 2, of a jet member embodied in this invention.

.FIG. 4 is a detached view in elevation, on a smaller I scale than FIGS. 1 and 2, of a circular exhaust manifold used in connection with this invention.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the intake and bearing parts at one end of the engine.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of combined valve and speed governor means which is responsive to centrifugal force and which controls the passage of fluid from a condenser chamber to a steam generating chamber.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on broken line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a detached fragmentary sectional view showing adeeply corrugated heat exchange unit of modified form.

FIG. 9 is a detached fragmentary sectional view of a corrugated heat exchange unit using electric heating elements for heating purposes.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

This jet type rotary steam engine comprises a rotatable cylindrical housing having spaced apart end walls 15 and 2 -16 and circumferential walls 17, 18 and 19. The end walls 15 and 16 have axial shafts 20 and 21 respectively, which are journaled in any suitable bearings 22 and 23. The bearing 23 is shown in FIG. 5 and a fragment of the bearing 22 is shown in FIG. 1.

A non-rotatable fuel supply conduit 24 extends axially through the shaft 21 and bearing 23 and delivers oil or like fuel into a rotatable oil pre-heat tube 25 in the housing. The oil pre-heat tube 25 is rotatable with the housing, is preferably of smaller diameter at the end where the tube 24 enters, and expands toward its other end so that centrifugal force will cause liquid fuel to flow along the walls of said tube 25 toward the larger end thereof. A plurality of oil discharge perforations 26, FIG. 1, are provided at the larger end of said oil pre-heat tube 25 and a dish-shaped oil atomizing disc 27 is secured to said oil preheat tube between the perforations 26 and the housing wall 15 with its concave side facing away from the wall 15 so that oil issuing from the perforations 26 will be caused to move outwardly in a thin film over the concave side of the dish-shaped disc 27 and will be discharged in a finely divided state from the perpihery of said disc.

An air pre-heat tube 28 of substantially larger diameter than the oil pre-heat tube 25 surrounds said oil pre-heat tube 25 and cooperates therewith in forming an air intake passageway 29. Two spaced apart dish-shaped members 30 and 31 are secured to the tubes 25 and 28 adjacent to the oil atomizing member 27 and with their con cave sides facing said oil atomizing member 27. Curved fan blades 32 are secured between the peripheral portions of the dish-shaped members 30 and 31. The parts 25, 27, 28, 30, 31 and 32 all rotate with the housing when the engine is operating and the fan blades 32 draw air through the air intake passageway 29 and discharge this air into the atomized fuel which is being sprayed from the periphery of the cup-shaped member 27. This provides finely atomized pre-heated fuel thoroughly mixed with preheated air and insures eflicient combustion.

The air enters the intake passageway 29 through openings 33, FIGS. 1 and 5, in the housing wall 16 and base flange of shaft 21 and the amount of air supplied through these openings 33 is regulated by an adjustable air control member 34. The air control member 34 is threaded onto a supporting member 35 and is movable toward and away from the base flange of shaft 21. The member 35 can be secured to the bearing 23. Suitable ignition means 36 is provided in close proximity to the location of the peripheries of the cup-shaped members 27, 30 and 31.

The area surrounding the air pre-heat tube28 constitutes a combustion chamber indicated generally by 37. The peripheral portion of this combustion chamber 37 is formed by a deeply corrugated heat exchange wall 38. The corrugations of this wall 38 form a plurality of alternate steam generating passageways 39 on the outer side of said wall and heat passageways 40 on the inner side of said wall. Passageways 39 are sealed at both ends and passageways 40 are sealed adjacent the housing wall 15 only. The passageways 39 and 40 extend lengthwise of the housing. The deeply corrugated heat exchange wall 38 extends entirely to the end member 15 of the housing but terminates short of the other end member 16 of said housing so that the combustion chamber 37 and heat passageways 40, which are part of said combustion cham ber, communicate at the end shown at the right in FIG. 1 with an exit conduit 41 for heated by-products of combustion. At the periphery of the housing the combustion lay-products pass radially outward between side members 48 into a non-rotatable spirally shaped manifold 49 which is provided with an outlet 49 to which any suitable conduit for disposing of exhaust products may be connected. The wall 33 can be formed of sheet metal bent in the form of a deep accordion or bellows type fold so that the passageways 39 and 40 are substantially triangular in cross-sectional shape. Also this wall can be formed as shown in FIG. 8, in which the walls 42 that form the corrugations are more nearly parallel and provide heat passageways 43 of approximately rectangular outline on the inner side of said wall 42 and steam generating passageways 44 of approximately rectangular outline on the outer side of said wall 42.

A metal wall 45 cylindrical shape extends around the deeply corrugated wall 38, a relatively thick cylindrical layer of insulating material 46 extends around the wall 45 and another metal wall 47 extends around the circumferential portion of the insulating material 46.

The metal wall 47 forms the inner wall of a cylindrical condenser within which is disposed a deeply corrugated metal heat exchange wall 50 which provides alternate steam condensation passageways 51 on the inner side of said wall and air circulation passageways 52 on the outer side of said wall. The passageways 51 and 52 extend lengthwise of the housing and are of approximately triangular shape cross-sectionally considered. The steam passageways 51, due to their being narrower at their outermost edges, will function as centrifugal compressors to further aid in liquifying the steam. The heat exchange wall 50 terminates short of both ends 15 and 16 of the housing leaving at the end shown at the left in FIG. 1 a jet receiving chamber 53 and at the other end a condensed fluid receiving chamber 54. Both of the chambers 53 and 54 communicate with the adjacent ends of the steam condensation passageways 51. The open ends of these passageways 51 are shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. Obviously the heat exchange unit 50 can be shaped like the heat exchange structure 42, shown in FIG. 8, if desired.

A fan or blower for providing a circulation of cooling air through the air circulation passageways 52 of the condenser is provided adjacent the jet receiving chamber 53, and peripherally of the housing. This fan comprises a plurality of equally spaced curved blades 55 mounted between a wall 56 of the jet receiving chamber 53 and another wall 57 which is rigid with the housing and projects outwardly therefrom and is spaced from the wall 56. The air circulation passageways 52 communicate with the spaces between the fan blades 55 at the end of the condenser adjacent the fan and communicate with an opening 58 to the atmosphere at the other end of the condenser. This provides for a free passage of air at atmospheric temperature lengthwise through these passageways 52. If the fan blades 55 are secured between the outer extremities of the plates which form the heat exchanger walls 50, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, then inclined or tapered spacer strips 59 will be used between these plates throughout the remainder of the length of said plates. The spacer strips 59 are wider adjacent the fan or blower and narrower adjacent the condensed fluid collection chamber 54 and the inner edge 59' of each strip 59 is inclined outwardly from left to right, FIG. 1. The inner edges 55 of the fan blades 55 are similarly inclined and this provides narrow inclined walls in the outer extremities of the condensation passageways 51 along which the condensate in said passageways 51 will continuously flow toward the chamber 54 under the influence of centrifugal force while the engine is operating. The air circulation passageways 52 are closed at both ends by walls 62 and 63, shown in FIG. 1.

A return passageway 60 for condensed fluid is provided between radial housing walls 64 and 67, this being between the condensed fiuid receiving chamber 54 and the passageway 41 through which by-products of combustion are discharged. In addition to the wall 67 a layer 61 of insulating material and a radial wall 63' separate the passageway 60 from the condensate collection chamber 54. By the arrangement just described the return passageway 60 for the fluid used to produce steam is highly heated by the exhausting by-products of combustion. The

annular innermost portion of the return passageway 60 communicates with the steam generating passageways 39. The peripheral position of passageway 60 is communicatively connected with the peripheral portion of the chamber 54 at a plurality of locations around the periphery by adjustable valve devices, each of which functions as a combination governor and excess speed control means in facilitating the transfer of fluid from chamber 54 to pas sageway 60. One of these valve devices is shown in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7 and it will be understood that a plurality of these valve devices are provided in properly balanced relation around the engine. The following description of one of said valve devices will apply equally well to the others.

Each of said valve devices comprises a tubular valve housing 65 threaded through the peripheral wall 19 and into a boss 66 of a housing wall 67 which is positioned between the condensate collection chamber 54 and the passageway 60 through which fluid returns to the steam generating chamber 39. The tubular fitting 65 has an internal bore 68 within which a longitudinally movable valve member 69 is disposed. Preferably the valve member 69 has one or more flat sides 69, FIG. 7, which allow fluid to pass from one end to the other of the valve and thus insure that the pressure against the two ends of the valve member 69 will always be equal. The inner end portion of the valve member 69 has a longitudinally extending notch 70 which receives a cross pin 71. The cross pin 71 is rigid with the valve housing 65 and it prevents the valve 69 from moving rotatively in the valve housing 65 thereby insuring proper alignment of valve ports herein after described.

The valve member 69 is yieldingly urged inwardly by a compression spring 72. The inner end of the spring 72 engages the valve 69 and the outer end of said spring 72 abuts against a disc 73. The disc 73 has a stem 74 which extends through a suitable perforation in a screw plug 75. The plug 75 has a screw driver slot 76 in its outer end and said plug 75 is threaded into the outer end portion of the bore 68. A cap 77 is threaded onto the outer end of the valve housing 65 so that it covers the screw plug 75 and stem 74 and seals the outer end of the valve housing 65. The valve housing 65 has a head 78 by which it may be turned and is provided with a lock nut 79 by which it may be locked in a fixed position in the wall 19 and boss 66. When the cap 77 is removed from housing 65 it is possible to apply a measuring instrument to the stem 74 to measure the compression which the spring 72 is exerting and to adjust this spring pressure or compression by applying a spanner type screw driver to the screw plug 75 and turning the same. This makes it possible to use the valve 69 as a combination governor and excess speed control device, as hereinafter explained.

The boss 66 is provided with two transversely aligned ports or openings 80 and 81 which register with ports or openings 82 and 83 respectively in the valve housing 65. Ports 81 and 83 are preferably longitudinally extending slots. Port 30 communicates by way of opening 84 with the condensate collection chamber 54. Port 81 communicates with passageway 60 through which fluid used in making steam returns to steam passageways 39. The valve 69 has a transverse port 85, preferably of conically tapered shape, which registers with the port 83 at all times and which can either be in registration with or out of registration with the port 82, depending on the longitudinal position of the valve 69 in the housing 65. When the engine is rotating at relatively high speed the valve member 69 will be moved outwardly by centrifugal force and provide registration of the port 85 with the port 82, as hereinafter described in connection with the operation of the engine.

A plurality of tubular jet members 90, FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are disposed within the jet receiving chamber 53. These jet members may be varied in shape and form. Thev' are of decreasing size or cross-sectional area, outwardly considered. They communicate at their inner ends through openings 91 with the steam generating passageways 39 and they have at their outer ends discharge openings 92 of restricted area which are directed rearwardly as respects the direction of rotation of the engine. Preferably these jet members 90 are of rearwardly converging horn-shape and the discharge openings 92 are positioned to release steam or gaseous fluid under pressure substantially tangentially in the circumferential portion of the jet receiving chamber 53. The resulting thrust will tend to rotate the motor in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 2. -A jet device of one piece construction having three jet members 90 is shown in FIG. 3. It will be understood that the number of jet members used and the construction of these jet members may be varied provided the balance of the motor is maintained.

The fluid used in generating steam pressure in this engine is preferably one that will vaporize at a relatively low temperature, that is, a temperature substantially below the boiling temperature of water. One fluid suitable for this use is commercially known as Freon 12. An amount of this fluid suificient for operating purposes is placed in the engine. This may be done by introduc ing a known amount of the fluid through one of the valve receiving openings before the valve housing 65 is installed therein. The steam generating fluid does not escape from the engine and is always available for use. The engine is started by applying external force to initially rotate the same and at the same time supplying electric current to the ignitor 36 and fuel to the fuel atomizing means. The fuel will ignite and quickly heat the walls 38 of the steam generator and the steam generating fluid, which is distributed in the passageways 39 as soon as rotation of the engine is initiated, will be converted into steam. This steam under pressure will pass outwardly through the jet members 90 and be discharged from the jet openings 92. The release of the steam causes a thrust to be imparted to the jet members 90 in a direction 0pposite to the direction of-its discharge and drives the engine. Rotation of the engine causes the fan blades 55 to produce a flow of air for cooling purposes at a substantial velocity through the air passageways 52 in a direction counter to the direction of movement of the steam and the steam is rapidly cooled and condensed in the passageways 51 and is collected as a liquid in the chamber 54. This liquid has substantial weight and is urged outwardly by centrifugal force, due to the high speed rotation of the engine and this liquid from the chamber 54 is returned to the steam generating unit through the previously described valve devices, one of which is shown and operates as follows: The valve member 69 has substantial weight and is yieldingly urged inwardly into the position in which it is shown in FIG. 6 by the spring 72. As soon as the motor is started and attains a predetermined speed the valve member 69 begins to move outwardly under the influence of centrifugal force. This causes the valve port 85, which is always in registration with ports 83 and 81, to begin to register with port 82. This allows condensed fluid in the peripheral portion of chamber 54 to begin to pass through the valve port 85 into the passageway 60. This fluid will be directed against the wall 64, which is highly heated by the exhausting combustion products and will be instantly vaporized. Thus substantially all of the fluid in the passageway 60 is in vapor form at all times during operation of the motor. This vapor, being light and being subject to the pressure of the fluid which is being vaporized as it contacts the wall 64, will return toward the combustion chamber and enter into the passageways 39 where it will be superheated and again pass outwardly through the jet tubes 90.

The amount of pressure exerted by spring 72 against valve 69 can be adjusted by adjusting screw plug 75 and this spring pressure can be measured by applying a suitable gauge to the stem 74. This makes it possible to adjust the pressure of the spring 72 so that a valve 69 of a predetermined weight will, at a predetermined speed of rotation of the engine, have moved outward a suflicient distance so that further increase in engine speed will begin to close the ports and 82 relative to each other as port 85 tends to move outwardly beyond port 82. This will restrict the amount of condensed fluid which can pass through said ports and automatically limit the speed of rotation of the engine. The valve means thus acts as a governor to limit speed of rotation of the engine.

FIG. 9 is illustrative of a form of corrugated fold heat exchange unit similar to the innermost heat exchange unit 38, shown in FIG. 2, except that the FIG. 9 construction makes possible the generation of steam by using electric current as a heating medium. In the FIG. 9 construction the V shaped passageways on the side of the corrugated unit 95 toward the center of the engine are provided with electric heating elements 96 which preferably are disposed in contact with the walls of said unit 95. When this FIG. 9 type of electric heating unit is used for the generation of steam the exhaust passageway 41 will be closed at the periphery and preferably electric heating elements will be placed in said exhaust passageway in contact with the wall 64 for vaporizing the fluid in the return conduit 60.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that changes may be made within'the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a jet type rotary steam engine, a rotatively mounted cylindrical housing; a combustion chamber in the axial portion of said housing; fuel inlet means connected with said combustion chamber; a steam generating chamber surrounding said combustion chamber; an annular condenser extending around said steam generating chamber; an insulating wall between said steam generating chamber and said condenser, said condenser having a jet tube receiving compartment; jet tubes of outwardly convergent shape disposed in said jet tube receiving compartment and communicating with said steam generating chamber and extending outwardly and having substantially tangentially directed steam discharge openings positioned in the peripheral portion of the housing; a return conduit connecting the peripheral portion of the condenser with said steam generating chamber; and valve means in said return conduit controlling the return of condensed steam to said steam generating chamber.

2. In a jet type rotary steam engine, a rotatively mounted cylindrical housing; a combustion chamber in the axial portion of said housing; fuel inlet means connected with said combustion chamber; a steam generating chamber surrounding said combustion chamber; a first deeply corrugated accordion fold type heat exchange wall separating said steam generating chamber from said combustion chamber; a second deeply corrugated accordion fold type heat exchange Wall extending around said steam generating chamber and cooperating with said housing in forming a condenser having alternate passageways for steam and for cooling fluid and in forming a jet receiving chamber which communicates with the steam passageways; an insulating wall between said steam generating chamber and said condenser; air circulating mean cornmunicatively connected with said cooling fluid passageways; jet conduits of outwardly convergent shape dis posed in said jet receiving chamber and communicating with said steam generating chamber and extending outwardly and having substantially tangentially directed jet discharge openings positioned to discharge steam at high velocity substantially tangentially in the peripheral portion of said jet receiving chamber; and valve controlled fluid return conduit means cornrnunicatively connecting the peripheral portion of the steam passageways of the condenser with said steam generating chamber.

3. In a jet type rotary steam engine, a rotatively mounted cylindrical housing; a combustion chamber in the central portion of said housing; fuel inlet means connected with said combustion chamber; a first deeply corrugated accordion type heat exchange wall extending around said combustion chamber, the corrugations of said wall being generally radial and providing on the exterior of said wall a plurality of steam generating passageways extending lengthwise of said housing; an insulating wall surrounding said first deeply corrugated heat exchange wall; a second deeply corrugated accordion fold type heat exchange wall extending around said insulating wall and cooperating with said insulating wall and said housing in forming a condenser having longitudinally extending alternate steam condensation and air circulation passageways; said second corrugated heat exchange wall terminating short of both end walls of the housing leaving at one end a jet receiving chamber and at the other end a condensed fluid receiving chamber, both of said chambers communicating with said steam condensation passageways; air circulating means communicatively connected with said air circulation passageways; jet conduits of outwardly convergent shape disposed in said jet receiving chamber and communicating with said steam generating passageways and curving rearwardly as respects the direction of rotation of said housing and each having a jet discharge opening positioned to discharge steam at high velocity approximately tangentially in the circumferential portion of said jet receiving chamber; a return conduit communicatively connecting the peripheral portion of said condensed fluid receiving chamber with said steam generating passageways; and centrifugally operated valve means in said return conduit.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which an exhaust conduit is communicatively connected with the combustion chamber and has a heat conductive Wall common to the return conduit, said common wall being heated to fluid vaporizing temperature when combustion gases are discharging through said exhaust conduit.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which the return conduit is annular and has a heat conductive outer wall and an end wall of the housing is spaced from said heat conductive outer wall providing between said two walls an annular exhaust passageway which communicates with said combustion chamber, said heat conductive wall being heated to fluid vaporizing temperature when combustion gases are discharging through said exhaust conduit.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which the outermost walls of the steam condensation passageways in the condenser are slightly inclined outwardly in a direction toward the condensed fluid receiving chamber, whereby condensed fluid urged by centrifugal force toward said outermost walls will flow toward said condensed fluid receiving chamber.

7. in a jet type rotary steam engine, a housing mounted for rotation about an axis; a steam condensing chamber in said housing having a substantially cylindrical outer wall; a jet tube chamber communicating with said steam condensing chamber; jet tubes rigid with the housing and disposed within said jet tube chamber, each jet tube being curved and of outwardly converging shape and having a substantially tangentially directed steam outlet opening positioned near the periphery of said jet tube chamber and having a steam intake opening positioned substantially closer to the axis of the housing than said steam outlet opening; a steam generating chamber communicating with the steam intake openings of said jet tubes; heating means capable of generating steam in said steam generating chamber; a condensed fluid receiving chamber communicating with a part of said steam condensing chamber remote from said jet tube chamber, whereby steam emitted from said jet tubes will be condensed in said steam condensing chamber and delivered to said fluid receiving chamber, the peripheral portion of said condensed fluid receiving chamber outwardly from the outer wall of said steam condensing chamber forming a trap in which condensed fluid collects and is subjected to centrifugal pressure when the housing is rotating; and at least one return flow conduit communicating between the peripheral portion of said condensed fluid receiving chamber and said steam generating chamber, said return flow conduit providing for a return of condensed steam to said steam generating chamber under the influence of centrifugal force.

Jones Mayl2, 1931 Horsdal Dec. 14, 1948 

